Dollhouse
by redeyesofhell
Summary: Alfred's family wasn't perfect. They used to be, but now they aren't. The boy is torn between wanting to protect his family's dignity, and fixing his broken family. Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez was used as the base for this. Second chapter will be CAFE family troubles from Matthew's perspective based on Family Portrait by P!nk. Also on Ao3 as Polarpunk.
1. Chapter 1

FACE family troubles from Alfred's perspective. Fem!France x England. Hetalia is the sole ownership of Hidekaz Himaruya, and Dollhouse is created by Melanie Martinez. This fanfic was created for entertainment purposes and I in no way make profit off this. ~ Redeyesofhell

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Alfred sat down, still locked upstairs in his attic. Françoise had locked him up there, and threw a doll collection at him. The doll pieces had been made just one short year ago, custom made by Arthur as a wedding present to Françoise. The dolls were carbon copies of the family, except… not. It showed all of the good parts of them, but none of the bad.

Glancing at all the dolls, Alfred started crying. When the dolls had been made, they were a perfect family, but between Arthur losing his job and subsequent affair, Françoise's alcoholism, and Matthew being cut from the Hockey team, they became broken. The young boy wished his family would've been more like dolls… perfect.

Looking out the window, he could see the sun setting meaning that it had been four hours since Kiku had left. Walking away, not seeing the cracks in the dollhouse. Not knowing that this is when the family really plays.

Alfred sighed realising that, once again Françoise had forgotten him. He pushed the door lightly, minding his strength for once. The blonde saw empty wine glasses and then whole wine bottles when the drunk woman couldn't get the liquid out quick enough.

The smell was nauseating, and all Alfred wanted was to curl up next to his mother. Though that was the cause of the smell itself. Giggles ran throughout the house and another putrid smell wafted to the American.

"Maman, please wake up". Starting gently, soon the woman was being roughly shook. "Come on! Please, you have to fix this! Dad...he's with another woman, a slut! And Mattie's stoned. Fix this, please…" Alfred broke down realising that both probably caused Françoise's drunkenness. He tried to remove the bottle, only for his mom to strike him with the bottom of the bottle. Flinching, the boy fled from his mother.

He sought out his brother, hopefully he had only just started and maybe just maybe Matthew could talk to him like he used to even if it was Hockey's insults were thrown. As long as Mattie is back to normal somewhat.

He saw Arthur on the kitchen floor, the smoke from the cigarette making the wallpaper glisten. The kitchen window was open, but as usual no neighbour saw. Alfred wanted someone to see, maybe counselling could fix them?

"Alfred!" His mother's thick Parisian accent cut the air like a knife. He knew what that meant 'get in position'. He pulled on his dress clothes and put on foundation. He hated the stuff, but his mother, before she was sad at least, had always said pictures was where you needed to look your best. Somehow just that, not the family itself, had stayed lodged in her addled mind.

Alfred had to give it to his mom though, seeing the pictures all his friends said was that they were perfect, but please don't let them see a stoned Matthew through the curtains. No matter how imperfect they were, Alfred wanted to protect the one thing he could… their dignity.

"Here Alfred sit here and pose with Matthew...Matthew stop fidgeting! Be a good brother!" Françoise said, smiling and appearing normally. It took an expert like Alfred to see his Mom's flask, or smell his Dad to notice the female's perfume to cheap to be Françoise's.

Alfred's mom gets so many compliments from friends, but take away the pretty jewellery and you see the broken woman within. One who just noticed the perfume and was reaching for her flask.

Matthew wanted to pull his mother's hand away from the flask, but he knew what the consequences were unlike Alfred so instead he reached for his joint. Taking a hit before Françoise noticed, she was too busy drinking away the memory, so that it wasn't much of a challenge.

Arthur heard the footsteps of his son's (Al, Al something?) friend and so he smiled trying and failing to hide the depression and scratch marks from his whole family. Kiku appeared looking flustered. "Sorry, I forgot my laptop. I didn't mean to interrupt your picture...I'll just go now".

Alfred knew Kiku suspected something, the small boy probably sensed the weird feeling in the air. To distract he said, "Kiks, why don't you take the picture for us?" The boy nodded hesitantly. The distraction worked, but one day he'll see what goes down in the kitchen.

When the picture ended and Arthur sent Kiku away. Françoise locked Alfred away in the attic, again. This time the boy lied down to sleep knowing that in her own special way, Françoise was trying to thank him for helping them, as a plate of crêpes with maple syrup and earl grey tea sat at the door.

The dollhouse still popped in his mind, but Alfred knew that while his family was broken, it wasn't unfixable just needed time.

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How was it? I can't do completely sad stories, lol, ~Redeyesofhell


	2. Chapter 2

"You got fired from your job!" Madeline heard her father roar making her flinch.

Françoise wailed, "But, Mon Lapin, 'é was 'arasseng m. What kind of a pathétic man yélls at 'is wife fair defendéng hairself! You spinelez Slug!" (But, my rabbit, he was harassing me. What kind of pathetic man yells at his wife for defending herself! You Spineless Slug!)

Madeline flinched, hearing glasses breaking. She understood why Arthur was mad, money was tight, it was why she had to quit the Hockey team. All she could do was pull the covers over her head, and try to fix what was broken in the morning.

"Papa, Maman, she didn't mean what she said, she's just said," Madeline said as she treated the glass cuts on Arthur's arms. She didn't miss the hurt look on his face.

"Maddie, our fights… it's not you or Alfred's fault, you know that, right?" Arthur said as he stood up.

It was, but Madeline wasn't going to start another argument. The last one was when she mentioned that her shoes had gotten too small.

"Ai can go wivoot éateng, but Madéline eez growéng. She needs three méahls a dai, not le slop you try to mak hair and Alfred buy at zat Lunch Ruhm! Ai can get anothair job, but zat taks time, idiot. Why 'aven't you tried askng yur brothairs fair money, ai askd mine. How do you think we got zis food haire?!" Françoise screamed as she threw a glass unicorn at Arthur. (I can go without eating, but Madeline is growing. She needs three meals a day, not the slop you try to make her and Alfred buy at the Lunch Room! I can get another job, but that takes time, idiot. Why haven't you tried asking your brothers for money, I asked mine. How do you think we got this food here?!)

"She can do with less, all I'm saying is we need to save our money until you get another job," Arthur snapped as he threw an empty wine bottle back at her.

"You wouldn't be saieng zat if eet was abut Alfréd! He's yur gulden boy, but you 'ave déux children not un! Madeline quit la Hokey team to gét a job, but Alfred steehl plais football. Eet eez not fair to hair! Françoise hissed. (You wouldn't be saying that if it was about Alfred! He's your golden boy, but you have 2 children not 1! Madeline quit the Hockey team to get a job, but Alfred still plays football. That is not fair to her!)

"Hey Mom, Pop!" Alfred chirped as he dodged a glass pile on the floor. "Guess what? Today we talked about WWII and I totally aced the test-woah!" Alfred yelled as Madeline pulled him away from their parents.

Madeline flinched as more glass was thrown. She couldn't believe how oblivious Alfred was, but she'd rather he be happy than sad.

"Alfred, do you think maman and papa are going to divorce?" Madeline asked, but that wasn't what she wanted to ask. She wanted to ask his advice on a cute boy in her class, but she didn't want to fall in love if all it was, was a war. She loved her family, and each day she feared she'd be destroyed emotionally like her parents were.

"What're you talking about? Mom and Pop love each other," Alfred said as he shifted his broken glasses on his face.

"Did you break your glasses? Give them here, I'll fix them," Maddie said as she swiftly wrapped the glasses. It wasn't perfect, but at least the glasses weren't destroyed.

Madeline often wondered if she was the cause of her parents misery. Maybe if she hadn't gotten sick that day, Françoise would still have her Spring Water and Arthur his tea, and they would be happy. She internally vowed to work through the next time she gets sick.

She glanced around her room at her sports collection and wondered if she should sell it to help. Maybe then they could be a family. Maybe they could work through this.

"If you don't want me here, I can take Alfred and go!" Arthur seemed to yell through the walls as Madeline flinced.

"Daddy please don't leave. Please yell, I can't stand the sound" Madeline said hoping her quiet voice carried over all the yelling.

"Fine go, théré's la doair. Ai can tak Madeline ét actual-lee mak hair 'appy, you unlovabuhl oaf!" Françoise retorted as she slammed open the door. "Ai 'ate you, why don't you leave? Do you enjoy makng me mizairabuhl!? Ai can't beliéve ai evair married you. Hairé tak zis bak! Maibe yur greedy ass can pawn eet fair cash, zat seems to bé all you care abut!" (Fine go, there's the door. I can take Madeline and actually make her happy, you unlovable oaf!),(I hate you, why don't you leave? Do you enjoy making me miserable!? I can't believe I ever married you. Here take this back! Maybe your greedy ass can pawn it for cash, that seems to be all you care about!)

Madeline heard her mother throw something, but unlike the other times this fight seemed to have a aura of finality. Especially when her mother proclaimed that she was going for a walk. With that she walked down to console her sad father.

"Is Mama going to be alright? I don't want you to get thrown out please make Mama stop cryin. She loves you no matter what she says," Madeline says as she gently grabs her father's face and cradles it, "I know she hurts you, but remember I love you, too!"

When Arthur refuses to move other than to quietly sob. Madeline's face falls and she gently sets her father down and walks out and wants to run away. Even when she hears her mother return. All Maddie can do is run farther away until she falls around down and quietly sobs.

"I don't want to go back, don't make me," Madeline begs to the sky, but she knows she'll need to come back, her paycheck pays the bills, and without her, her family would be out on the street, and she couldn't do that. Maddie picked herself up and begun the slow walk home. Her scraped knees throbbing with every step.

"Are you alright?" The cute boy from her class asked as he stared at her with big expressive eyes.

Madeline wanted to melt, but what if… what if they become like her parents. She instead muttered something about being fine and runs away. She didn't want another WWIII, she didn't want love to destroy her like it did her family.

When she entered the door, her mother gathered her in her arms saying, "Madéline, you'ré bak! Ai was zo wairried! Please don't do zat again! Ai can't losé you, don't leave mé, pleasé!" (Madeline, you're back! I was so worried! Please don't do that again! I can't lose you, don't leave me please!)

"Mama, can we work this out Can we be a family?" Madeline asked, her parents' hearts breaking at her tone. "I promise I'll be better Mama I'll do anything! Papa don't leave!" she exclaimed as she pointed frantically at the family portrait. They looked really happy.

In the family portrait, Françoise was wearing a designer dress, her long brown hair pulled into an elegant knot with her dainty hands clasped within Arthur's bigger ones. He was wearing one of his ugly suits, but with the look on his face you couldn't tell he was anything but happy. Madeline and Alfred had both been late and showed up in their uniforms still covered in ice/ grass. Madeline had put covers on her blades so she could skate to the studio. They all looked so happy even with the stains covering two of them.

Madeline wanted that, that casual ease they once had. Not split holidays. Nor two addresses. She especially didn't want a step-brother, Alfred was the only person who deserved to be called her brother, and her mother was Françoise Bonnefoy-Kirkland not some other last name. They were happy and normal, why couldn't they go back to that? Maybe the could fake it until it was real?

"I promise, I'll be better Mama I'll do anything. Don't make Papa leave!" Madeline yelled at her shocked parents.

Françoise felt tears gather in her eyes as she stared at her baby girl crying and begging the two of them not to divorce. "My darléng, ai didn't reahlize you waire zo affected by zis. I'm zo sairry, I'll try hardair. Arthur, Mon Lapin, weehl you tak me bak, please?" Françoise gasped out as she pressed her face into Madeline's hair. (My darling, I didn't realize you were so affected by this. I'm so sorry, I'll try harder. Arthur, my rabbit, will you take me back please?)

"Papa please don't leave! Mama will be nicer. I'll get Alfred to stop too. I'll stop spilling the milk at dinner. I'll work harder, I'll do everything perfectly. I'll be your little girl forever. I'll go to sleep at night!" Madeline choked out, burying her face into her mother's shoulder.

Arthur without hesitation took both women into his arms as he embraced them tightly, "Françoise I will take you back don't worry. You're not getting rid of me that easily. Madeline, love, you and Alfred you're perfect to me, and don't ever think otherwise, please."


End file.
